Christmas Lights and Candy Canes
by Sita-chan
Summary: Two boys, an old tree, and just a smidgeon of Christmas magic can work wonders. [holiday fic] [fluff, slash, slight language]


Hello, everybody! My name's Sita! Whaaaaat's YOURS? (Pantless!Blink-Muse: Enough with the _Gypsy_, Satan-spawn) *sticks out tongue* Anyway. Welcome to my own little piece of obligatory holiday-type goodness. This was originally going to be done as Specs/Dutchy, but... well, now it's not. *dodges Stage's flying objects* I couldn't make either one of them mean! So, without further procrastination, I give you... this. *shrugs sheepishly* Oh, and this is actually based on an art song that I learned when I was, like... twelve. It's called "Apples on a Lilac Tree," in case anyone cares.

Disclaimer: *points* This is Point A, _Newsies_. This is Point B, Sita. Point B holds no financial claim to Point A. *bows*

Warnings: Slash, complete and total fluff

****

Christmas Lights and Candy Canes

Skittery didn't know when the weekend meetings at City Park had started. He thought that it had been a fluke the first few times, that he and Snitch had just happened to choose the same tree by the same duck pond. The first accidental meeting had been during Christmas break of their freshman year. When Skittery had heard the shaking of the branches below him, he'd glanced down, a bit surprised, to see who could be climbing _his_ tree. 

Yes, the large, gnarled, twisted oak tree at the foot of the figure-eight pond by the ice cream cart was _his_ tree. It had been _his_ tree for as long as he could remember. Since the beginning of high school, since the beginning of middle school, since before Snitch stopped being his best friend.

How surprised he'd been to find out that the intruder was none other than the aforementioned former best friend. 

Skittery had expected him to roll his eyes and climb back down, but Snitch instead greeted him warmly and settled himself into the branch next to him. They'd talked like nothing had ever happened between them, like Snitch didn't avoid him in the hallways, like Skittery didn't spend most of his days alone while Snitch talked and laughed with the other kids that meant something in the school. They talked like they were still in eighth grade.

Skittery wondered if Snitch remembered that their meetings took place at the very tree where they used to play as children.

Skittery also wondered if Snitch remembered that he was in love with him.

As Snitch's appearances at the tree on Saturday afternoons became the norm, Skittery began to wish, hope, pray that they would stay friends at school during the week.

But they never did.

School remained the same; the pair would walk on opposite ends of the hallway, ignoring each other completely, or sometimes acknowledging one another with a polite nod. But they were not friends. _Never_ friends.

At the tree, it was different. 

Konstantine, as the tree was affectionately called by both boys, proved to be a kind of a refuge for the duo. Beneath her branches there was no talk of school or popularity or how different they'd become. It was always, "remember that time when..." and "how about when you used to..." They spoke only of music, their favorite books, their families, and good memories.

And though it killed Skittery's heart to be ignored during the week, he accepted it willingly for the two or three hours he was able to spend in Snitch's company.

The visits continued and became longer until the boys were lounging and chatting until long after dark. They brought flashlights and small radios. Skittery brought his guitar, and Snitch hummed along to the tunes. They brought books and pictures and CDs and memories.

By the end of the first year, Skittery _knew_ that Snitch remembered that he was in love with him.

And he started to think that, maybe, Snitch felt the same way about him. Why else would Snitch risk his social life, his popularity, his _everything_ to come every single weekend to reminisce with the boy that his peers had nicknamed "that weird-ass emo kid?" 

Skittery knew that he could be wrong, that Snitch was just reluctant to let his best friend slip away. Bringing up such a touchy subject might push Snitch farther away, and Skittery didn't want to sacrifice what little contact they still had.

But no matter what the consequence, Skittery knew that he had to let Snitch know exactly how he felt.

It was Christmas break of their junior year when he finally worked up the courage.

"Snitch?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do we do this?"

"Do what?" Skittery sighed and dangled his feet over the branch, carefully avoiding the Christmas lights that had started appearing throughout the park.

"You know what. We've come here every Saturday for two years and acted like we're best friends. Then, we go back to school, and I'm scum on the bottom of your shoe again."

Snitch's blue eyes flashed. "You're not _scum_, Skitts," he said, frowning. "You _are_ my best friend. You've always been my best friend, and you probably always will be, regardless of how I act at school."

"Is it so much to just tell them that you're friends with me? Do they hate me that much?"

"Who?"

"The other _popular_ kids." Skittery spat out the word "popular" as though it was poisonous. All irritation faded from Snitch's eyes, and he sighed.

"Skittery... I don't know why they don't like you, but they don't."

"Are they more important to you than I am?"

"No!"

"Then why do you do this to me when-" Skittery's voice caught in his throat, and he trailed off. He swallowed and met Snitch's gaze evenly before he continued, more quietly but more fervently than before. "Why do you do this when you know how I feel about you?"

Snitch stared at the men arranging Christmas lights and popped his thumb in his mouth, an old habit that he only felt comfortable doing around Skittery.

"Snitch. _Snitch_. Look at me, please?" Snitch glanced reluctantly at the boy next to him. "How do you feel about me?"

Snitch paused before pulling his thumb out of his mouth. "What are you asking me, Skitts?"

"You know exactly what I'm asking you." Snitch hugged his arms around his legs and rested his chin on his knees.

"Do you love me?" he asked quietly.

"Yes."

"You said that awfully quickly."

"I'm not ashamed of it, and I know it's true. Why _wouldn't_ I just come right out and say it?"

Snitch stared at him.

"You know that I don't love you."

Skittery looked down at the ground, expecting a rush of misery and hopelessness. He frowned when it never came.

"You're lying."

Snitch's eyes widened in shock before narrowing into slits. He jabbed his finger into Skittery's chest. "Don't tell me that I'm lying," he hissed angrily. "You're my friend, okay? Nothing else. And you should be pretty damn happy that I'm your friend at all."

"You're lying, and you know it."

"I am _not_ lying! Look, Skittery, until... I don't know, until damn _candy canes_ grow out of this tree, you and I aren't gonna _be_ anything! Not what you want us to be."

The pair sat in silence. Sighing softly to himself, Skittery took his flashlight and hopped out of the branches.

"She has a name."

"What?" Snitch questioned, irritated.

"You said 'this tree.' Her name is Konstantine."

Snitch stared down at Skittery, gripping the hard, rough wood of the branch before smirking.

"It's a damn tree, Skitts. It doesn't need a name."

Skittery gave him a sad half-smile. "I sort of figured you'd say that." He pulled on his jacket and jammed his hands in his pockets. "Merry Christmas, Snitch."

He walked off and never looked back.

Snitch sighed and popped his thumb back into his mouth, feeling like a traitor. Almost everything he'd said was true. Skittery _was_ his best friend, and he _did_ mean more than all of the so-called "popular" kids put together. But going to school meant following its system, a complicated correlation of politics where the real power was given to the leaders of the student body, not the teachers or principal. Snitch had spent his entire life being ignored and mocked and ridiculed; he wanted nothing more than a little respect.

He didn't think he'd have to leave his best friend, the boy he loved, behind.

As the wind snaked through Konstantine's branches, Snitch tugged his jacket tighter around his body. He leaned back against the trunk and stared at the sky, waiting for some kind of divine inspiration that he knew wouldn't come. He was alone, on his own, and he knew it. He'd screwed everything up himself, so he'd have to fix it all himself.

He thought long and hard. He thought until the moon was high in the sky, and the rest of the park was completely empty.

And he thought of a solution.

Snitch smiled a true smile, the first one in a few years. He stretched his stiffened joints and left the park.

And Konstantine watched and waited.

*~*~*

The phone echoed throughout the Sloane household. Skittery sighed turned off his stereo.

"I've got it!" he yelled, grabbing the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey."

Skittery blinked. "Snitch?"

"Yeah. Listen, I... look, just come to Celebration in the Oaks tonight, okay? I'll meet you at the gate."

"Snitch, what are-"

"Seven-thirty. Please come."

"I don't-" 

Skittery found himself speaking to a dial tone. Frowning, he placed the phone back in its cradle.

_Celebration in the Oaks?_

Skittery hadn't been to the statewide spectacle for years, but he could remember how extraordinary it was. Every holiday season hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of lights were strung throughout City Park. The lights were shaped to form the numerous creatures and symbols that lined the park. There were angels, far taller than many of the trees, with long trumpets extended in front of them. There was a green sea serpent that snaked throughout the lake along with jumping fish and twinkling stars. There were menorahs and elves and dinosaurs and Christmas trees, all made completely out of lights. The figures sat in trees or decorated the ground. Some, like the sea serpent and the fish, sat in the ponds or in the lake.

It truly was amazing, from what Skittery could remember. 

But why would Snitch want to meet him there?

When Skittery had left Konstantine they day before, he'd assumed that the meetings would stop. Snitch obviously wasn't willing to make any sacrifices for him, or so he'd thought. Maybe whatever Snitch had to say to him would prove him wrong.

He hoped it would.

Skittery glanced at the clock, chewed his fingernails, and headed towards the bathroom for a shower.

_One hour and counting_.

*~*~*

Much to Skittery's surprise, Snitch was waiting for him at the old, iron gate. Snitch pulled his hands from the pockets of his light jacket and greeted him with a nervous wave.

"What's going on?"

"Are you mad at me?"

Skittery raised an eyebrow. "For what, being a general ass?"

"Pretty much." Skittery found himself smiling.

"Surprisingly enough, no, I'm not mad at you."

"That's good, because I'm mad enough at myself for the both of us." Skittery blinked and waited for Snitch to continue, but the other boy simply started towards the entrance, his expression unreadable. Wordlessly, they both headed into the park and were immediately greeted by an enormous pair of electric green dinosaurs sporting floppy Santa hats. They walked in silence for a while, admiring the lights and the rows and rows of tiny pine trees decorated by local schools. After a few minutes, Skittery noticed that they were beginning to move away from the lights and the music. They were traveling farther and farther into the darkened sections of the park near the water.

Then, Snitch stopped walking.

"What?"

Snitch grinned. "Now's the part where you have to close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Come on, just do it! I'll lead you."

Skittery raised an eyebrow. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Then, shut your eyes!"

"Fine, fine..." Grumbling under his breath, Skittery reluctantly shut his eyes.

"And you can't open them until I tell you to. Promise me you won't."

"I won't."

"Good." Skittery jumped when he felt Snitch's breath on his ear. "Come on."

"I'm gonna trip and fall in the water and die, and it's gonna suck," Skittery groaned.

He felt his breath catch in his throat when Snitch gently took his hand.

"You said you trusted me. So trust that I won't let you fall." Skittery kept his eyes shut tightly and allowed himself to be led forward. He felt Snitch's fingers hesitantly curl around his own as the pair walked into the darkness. "I shouldn't have said those things to you Skitts," he said quietly. "I felt like such a jerk when you left yesterday. And then I realized that I'd been a jerk all along. I had no right to be such a total ass to you. You didn't deserve to be treated the way that I've treated you these past two years." 

Skittery felt a pair of arms slide around his waist and very nearly opened his eyes when Snitch rested his head on his shoulder.

"Snitch..."

"Do you remember what I said before? When you asked me how I felt about you?" 

Skittery smiled sadly. "How could I forget?" 

_"Look, Skittery, until... I don't know, until damn _candy canes_ grow out of this tree, you and I aren't gonna _be_ anything! Not what you want us to be."_

He could hear the smile in Snitch's voice. "Open your eyes."

Skittery cracked open a single eyelid. Then, the other.

Then, his jaw dropped.

Snitch had led him to the tree by the figure-eight pond near the ice cream cart. To their weekly meeting spot. To Konstantine.

And every single inch of her was covered with tremendous shining candy canes composed solely of Christmas lights.

Skittery stepped backwards in awe, his hand over his mouth and his dark brown eyes wide.

"Did... did you do this?" Skittery breathed.

Snitch blushed and shuffled his feet. "Yeah."

"Oh, God... Snitch, I..." He trailed off, speechless.

"This is the only way I could think of to show you how I really feel." He sheepishly gestured to the twinkling candy canes and grinned. 

Smiling softly, Skittery stepped forward and placed a feather-light kiss on Snitch's forehead. Snitch responded by kissing him gently on the cheek.

Then, after a short, slightly awkward pause that involved severe blushing from both boys, their lips met. They broke apart quickly at first, but returned even quicker and stayed entwined longer as they progressed. As their soft kisses grew deeper and they forgot the world around them, the lights from the candy canes seemed to brighten, illuminating the faces of two boys that had finally found something that they didn't know was lost.

And if trees could smile, old Konstantine would have beamed brighter than the shimmering candy canes.

****

END

I think I like this one. Not so much the beginning, but I like the end with the candy canes. *giggles* Cute-ness! Anyway. I hope that everyone has a loverly Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/whatever, and I hope that you all enjoy yourselves thoroughly. *raises eggnog* Happy holidays! *beams*


End file.
